SIMMOD TurnaroundTowing Time Discussion

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SIMMOD Turnaround/Towing Time Discussion

• European SIMMOD Users Group Presentation
• Paris, France
• 25 April 2003

ATAC Corporation
2
Problem
Example Aircraft arrives at 0800, unloads for
30 minutes, is towed (6 minutes) to another gate,
becomes a departure, loads for 30 minutes, and
departs at 1200. In the SIMU26 (history
file) Should be AD 8.0 AD 8.0 TO 8.5 TO
8.5 DB 8.6 GT 8.6 GT 9.1 DB 11.5 TX 12.0
TX 12.0
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Problem (continued)

• Furthermore, a user wanted an enhancement for
  flights that use towing.
• Allow an arrival to wait after unloading but
  before towing.
• Allow a departure to wait after towing but before
  loading.
• Solution for the enhancement
• Add a new field to the Simmod PLUS FLIGHTS table
  TOW_LOAD_TIME- Adds a field to ARRIVAL events
  (TowTime)- Adds a field to EMPLANE events
  (LoadTime)
• For arrivals, this is the time the aircraft is
  towed from the gate.
• For departures, this is the time loading begins
  after the aircraft is towed to the gate.

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Arrival
FLIGHTS TIME_NM The time the flight is created
in the simulation. The flight is injected at an
airspace node. FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME If
towing inputs are specified (TOW_ID_USED is not
missing), the time that the aircraft is towed
from the gate to the tow node. There are three
possibilities.
If no TOW_ID_USED is specified The aircraft is
injected in the airspace, lands, arrives to a
gate, and begins unloading immediately. After
unloading, the aircraft is ejected from the
simulation.
Unloading period
Flying
time
ejection
TIME_NM
arrives to gate
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Arrival (continued)
If TOW_ID_USED is specified, but TOW_LOAD_TIME is
not specified The aircraft is injected in the
airspace, lands, arrives to a gate, and begins
unloading immediately. After unloading, the
aircraft is immediately towed to the tow node.
Then the aircraft is ejected from the simulation.
Towing period
Unloading period
Flying
time
TIME_NM
arrives to gate
ejection
If TOW_ID_USED and TOW_LOAD_TIME are
specified The aircraft is injected in the
airspace, lands, arrives to a gate, and begins
unloading immediately. After unloading, it waits
at the gate until the simulation clock reaches
the TOW_LOAD_TIME. It is then towed to the tow
node. If, at the end of unloading, the
simulation clock has passed the TOW_LOAD_TIME,
towing begins immediately. Then the aircraft is
ejected from the simulation.
Waiting at gate, if necessary
Towing period
Unloading period
Flying
time
TOW_LOAD_TIME
TIME_NM
arrives to gate
ejection
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Departure
FLIGHTS TIME_NM The time the flight is created
in the simulation. Usually, the flight is
injected at a gate. If towing inputs are
specified (TOW_ID_USED is not missing), the
aircraft is injected at the tow node. FLIGHTS
TOW_LOAD_TIME This is only used if the aircraft
was injected at a tow node and was towed to the
gate. There are three possibilities.
If no TOW_ID_USED is specified The aircraft is
injected at a gate and begins loading
immediately. After loading, the aircraft pushes
back from the gate.
Loading period
time
TIME_NM
pushback
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Departure
If TOW_ID_USED is specified, but TOW_LOAD_TIME is
not specified The aircraft is injected at the
tow node and begins towing immediately. After
towing, it begins loading immediately. After
loading, the aircraft pushes back from the gate.
Towing period
Loading period
time
TIME_NM
pushback
If TOW_ID_USED and TOW_LOAD_TIME are
specified The aircraft is injected at the tow
node and begins towing immediately. After towing,
it waits at the gate until the simulation clock
reaches the TOW_LOAD_TIME. Then it begins
loading. If, at the end of towing, the
simulation clock has passed the TOW_LOAD_TIME,
loading begins immediately. After loading, the
aircraft pushes back from the gate.
Waiting at gate, if necessary
Towing period
Loading period
time
TIME_NM
pushback
TOW_LOAD_TIME
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Problem (continued)

• Continued solution for the enhancement
• Likewise,
• Add a field to the CONTINUING_ARRIVAL table
  TOW_TIME- Adds a field to the continuing arrival
  inputs of EMPLANE events (TowTime)
• Add a field to the CONTINUING_DEPARTURE table
  LOAD_TIME- Adds a field to the turnaround inputs
  of ARRIVAL events (LoadTime)

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Departure with a Continuing Arrival
FLIGHTS TIME_NM The time the flight is created
in the simulation. The flight is injected at
gate if FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED is missing, at at
tow node if FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED is not
missing. FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME If towing
inputs are specified (FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED is not
missing), the time that the aircraft is towed
from the tow node to the gate. CONTINUING_ARRIVAL
If towing inputs are specified
TOW_TIME CONTINUING_ARRIVAL TOW_ID_USED is not
missing), the time the aircraft is towed from the
tow node to the gate. Otherwise, the time the
aircraft begins loading. There are six
combinations.
Any one of the three departure types can be
combined with any of the three arrival types
where CONTINUING_ARRIVAL TOW_TIME represents
time that would be specified in the arrivals
FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME.
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Arrival with a Continuing Departure (Turnaround)
FLIGHTS TIME_NM The time the flight is created
in the simulation. The flight is injected at an
airspace node. FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME If towing
inputs are specified (FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED is
not missing), the time that the aircraft is towed
from the gate to the tow node. CONTINUING_DEPARTU
RE If towing inputs are specified
DEPART_TIME (CONTINUING_DEPARTURE TOW_ID_USED
is not missing), the time the aircraft is towed
from the tow node to the gate. Otherwise, the
time the aircraft begins loading. CONTINUING_DEPA
RTURE If towing inputs are specified
LOAD_TIME (CONTINUING_DEPARTURE TOW_ID_USED
is not missing), the time the aircraft begins
loading. There are nine combinations.
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Arrival with a Continuing Departure (Turnaround)
FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED and CONTINUING_DEPARTURE
TOW_ID_USED are missing. No towing occurs. To
ensure that no waiting occurs at the gate, set
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME to an arbitrary
time (e.g., 0.0) less than FLIGHTS TIME_NM.
Waiting at gate, if necessary
Loading period
Unloading period
Flying
time
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate
pushback
FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED is defined but FLIGHTS
TOW_LOAD_TIME is missing. The tow node should be
another gate. CONTINUING_DEPARTURE TOW_ID_USED
is missing.
Waiting at gate B, if necessary
Towing period
Unloading period
Flying
Loading period
time
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE DEPART_TIME
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate A
pushback from gate B
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Arrival with a Continuing Departure (Turnaround)
FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED and FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME
are defined. The tow node should be another
gate. CONTINUING_DEPARTURE TOW_ID_USED is
missing.
Waiting at gate A, if necessary
Waiting at gate B, if necessary
Towing period
Unloading period
Flying
Loading period
time
FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE DEPART_TIME
pushback from gate B
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate A
FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED is missing.
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE TOW_ID_USED is defined but
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME is missing.
Waiting at gate A, if necessary
Unloading period
Flying
Loading period
Towing period
time
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate A
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE DEPART_TIME
pushback from gate B
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Arrival with a Continuing Departure (Turnaround)
FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED is defined but FLIGHTS
TOW_LOAD_TIME is missing. CONTINUING_DEPARTURE
TOW_ID_USED is defined but CONTINUING_DEPARTURE
LOAD_TIME is missing.
Waiting at tow node, if necessary
Towing period
Towing period
Unloading period
Flying
Loading period
time
pushback from gate B
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate A
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE DEPART_TIME
FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED and FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME
are defined. CONTINUING_DEPARTURE TOW_ID_USED
is defined but CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME is
missing.
Waiting at tow node, if necessary
Waiting at gate A, if necessary
Towing period
Towing period
Unloading period
Flying
Loading period
time
pushback from gate B
FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE DEPART_TIME
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate A
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Arrival with a Continuing Departure (Turnaround)
FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED is missing.
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE TOW_ID_USED and
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME are defined.
Waiting at gate A, if necessary
Waiting at gate B, if necessary
Loading period
Unloading period
Flying
Towing period
time
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate A
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE DEPART_TIME
pushback from gate B
FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED is defined but FLIGHTS
TOW_LOAD_TIME is missing. CONTINUING_DEPARTURE
TOW_ID_USED and CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME
are defined.
Waiting at tow node, if necessary
Waiting at gate B, if necessary
Towing period
Unloading period
Towing period
Loading period
Flying
time
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME
pushback from gate B
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate A
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE DEPART_TIME
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Arrival with a Continuing Departure (Turnaround)
FLIGHTS TOW_ID_USED and FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME
are defined. CONTINUING_DEPARTURE TOW_ID_USED
and CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME are defined.
Waiting at gate A, if necessary
Waiting at tow node, if necessary
Waiting at gate B, if necessary
Towing period
Unloading period
Flying
Towing period
Loading period
time
FLIGHTS TOW_LOAD_TIME
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE DEPART_TIME
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME
pushback from gate B
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate A
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Problem (continued)

• Finally, because the engine knows the time that
  turnaround loading begins, this approach also
  solves the original problem with the SIMU26
  (history) file entries. The engine can write the
  GT and DB codes to the SIMU26 file with the
  correct times.
• However

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Problem (continued)
The meaning of the CONTINUING_DEPARTURE
DEPARTURE_TIME has been changed! It is no longer
the departure pushback time, but the time that
the aircraft transforms from an arrival to a
departure. What to do?
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Problem (continued)
Erics brainstorm while on the RER yesterday
afternoon Add another new field for departure
events PUSHBACK_TIME To replicate the
turnaround functionality prior to the change, the
PUSHBACK_TIME should be set to the value formerly
stored in the turnarounds DEPARTURE_TIME.
Waiting at gate, if necessary
Waiting at gate, if necessary
Unloading period
Flying
Loading period
time
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE LOAD_TIME
CONTINUING_DEPARTURE PUSHBACK_TIME
FLIGHTS TIME_NM
arrives to gate
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Final result The analyst can specify the times
for all four departure actions Creation (or
Transformation for turnarounds) Towing Loading Pus
hback